I’m not sure how or when I’ll use this in a story, but I am fascinated by the idea of slugging, a term used to describe a unique form of commuting found in Washington, DC, San Francisco, and Pittsburg and sometimes referred to as "Instant Carpooling" or "Casual Carpooling". It is the practice of forming ad hoc, informal, temporary carpools for purposes of commuting, essentially a variation of ride-share commuting and hitchhiking.

“The system of slugging is quite simple. A car needing additional passengers to meet the required 3-person high occupancy vehicle (HOV) minimum pulls up to one of the known slug lines. The driver usually positions the car so that the slugs are on the passenger side. The driver either displays a sign with the destination or simply lowers the passenger window, to call out the destination, such as "Pentagon," "L’Enfant Plaza," or "14th & New York." The slugs first in line for that particular destination then hop into the car, normally confirming the destination, and off they go.”

No money is exchanged because of the mutual benefit: the car driver needs riders just as much as the slugs need a ride. Each party needs the other in order to survive.

I have about a hundred different ideas on how I might use this unique form of commuting in a story, and at least a couple ideas on how this might be the centerpiece of a novel. It’s these odd, quirky and unique parts of our world that so enthrall me as a writer, providing me with a previously-unexplored landscape in which to place a character.

I have a bunch just waiting to be used. In fact, they are starting to become backlogged in my brain.